Trainz Classics 3rd Edition "Settle-Carlisle"

[Mike10]

I thought I'd post the announcement Lance made in the Auran forum for those who don't visit there.

===============================================

In what is sure to appeal to both steam and diesel enthusiast alike, Trainz Classics 3rd Edition will feature the famous U.K. based route of Settle-Carlisle centered around the 1960s in the North of England. Auran follows the successful release of Trainz Classics 1st and 2nd Edition with this highly detailed and prototypically accurate route.

Each new release of Trainz Classics is centered around a particular period in railway history, a particular traction type or a prototypical route. Settle-Carlisle will focus on steam and diesel freight and passenger operations around the late 1950s and '60s

This stretch of railway must arguably be some of the most famous track in the country. In the 1960s the passenger and goods services on the S&C were in transition. Although still one of the three major Anglo-Scottish routes its importance had been steadily downgraded since it had been grouped into the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923. The frequency of express trains had been much reduced and the Manchester and Liverpool to Scotland expresses had been diverted to the West Coast main line many years previously. A sparse local passenger service covered the needs of the equally sparse population. Levels of through goods services were still high, mainly semi and fully fitted freight. The majority of these trains between the industrial centres of England and Scotland traversed the S&C at night. The block trains of anhydrite from Long Meg mine were a feature of the S&C together with the limestone and lime trucks which were collected daily from the limestone quarries and lime kilns in the Ribble Valley. Additionally there were the daily pick up goods trains, visiting the sheds, docks and sidings that were an integral part of most of the railway stations on the line.

Trainz Classics 3rd edition will ship complete with a number of Driver Sessions already configured for you to complete and take advantage of the rich history that surrounds this line. Each session will have an 'active' version in which you are at the controls and a 'passive' version where the auto (AI) driver will take charge and allow you to watch and learn as it goes through the required steps to complete the activities.

New features and improvements extend the possibilities with this latest edition.
-Updated Steam Characteristics, including particle effects, improved steam sounds and content
-New Semaphore Signalling, including New logic, New models and New animations
-Where appropriate, each locomotive has the AWS (Automatic Warning System) safety system in use at the prevailing time represented.
-Improved Passenger Asset Support
-Updated Interface including new steam locomotive controls

The Settle-Carlisle route has been painstakingly recreated by rail-sim.co.uk, the same team that created Hawes Junction for TRS2006. You can see more of their work at http://www.rail-sim.co.uk

For more details about Trainz Classics 3rd Edition, please visit http://www.trainzclassics.co.uk/

Full details will be available on the Trainz Classics website in coming days at http://www.trainzclassics.com

[rwaceyw]

It looks good - however for a payware product i'd be expecting custom built stuff for the majority of scenic items rather than the default/freeware items?

Also, how much is being looked at pricewise?

Dave

[Mike10]

It looks good - however for a payware product i'd be expecting custom built stuff for the majority of scenic items rather than the default/freeware items?

We haven't got to showing those bits yet, there's plenty of custom stuff

Also, how much is being looked at pricewise?

It hasn't been confirmed yet, but I would expect in the £15-£25 range.

Mike.

[bigvern]

Yes looking good Mike, the traction/stock pack and new signalling etc. features will be very welcome.

Of course still curious as to whether the mystery diesel is a Class 40 or Class 45, either or both will do!

[RiscaStation]

Hi

Just remind me please if this "Edition" is an add-on to TRS2006 or is it a stand alone?

Best regards

Mike

[Mike10]

It is standalone. You can transfer previous content into it though if you want to as it comes with CMP.

Mike.

[Mike10]

Just to say that the site has been updated today with an FAQs page, and a look at the first set of wagons we'll be including.

Mike.

[andrewscott]

Right, just a question from me if thats ok (i see it includes the britannia class so i am naturally interested!)

Its a stand alone game, but if you have previous versions, such as Trainz 2006 you can import all that content into this?

Is that hard or time consuming to do? And does this include a subscription to that download centre where you add content to the game? ive never tried it, its all a mystry to me!

Andrew

[bigvern]

Trainz Classics only ships with the content for that particular route and can be integrated with previous editions of Trainz Classics. It does not however include the "legacy" content from TRS2004/TRS2006, though some unofficial workarounds have been posted on the Auran board. Seen as a rather controversial move by some but I can start to see where Auran are coming from and so long as most of the existing third party stuff for TRS2004 etc. on the DLS works in TC3, the new features will make it a good platform for UK route building.

[Mike10]

Its a stand alone game, but if you have previous versions, such as Trainz 2006 you can import all that content into this?

The vast majority of content can be imported from previous versions. There are some items which are 'locked' in TRS2006 which you cannot copy in the approved manner. There is a workaround copying the .ja files but it is not recommended by Auran. The majority of the locked content is the modula city route content. So, if you can live without that, it's not a problem.

Is that hard or time consuming to do?

Items can be opened for edit in '06 and then imported into Classics, that's about how hard it gets. Time is dependent on how much you transfer, we're talking minutes rather than hours though if all goes smoothly. The only tricky thing is that some of these assets will show errors, there are guides to help you fix these though on the rail-sim.co.uk website.

And does this include a subscription to that download centre where you add content to the game?

All previous versions have given the purchaser a free 'First Class Ticket' for unlimited downloads which lasts a few months. I don't see this one will be any different.

Mike.

[Mike10]

Seen as a rather controversial move by some but I can start to see where Auran are coming from.

Blimey Vern, I had to read that twice to make sure I read it right

so long as most of the existing third party stuff for TRS2004 etc. on the DLS works in TC3, the new features will make it a good platform for UK route building.

Broken content is a pain, however, if breaking some legacy content moves the entire game forward that may be a small price to pay. If TC3 does break any current stuff then we'll try and help people with how to fix it.

Mike.

[andrewscott]

Its a stand alone game, but if you have previous versions, such as Trainz 2006 you can import all that content into this?

The vast majority of content can be imported from previous versions. There are some items which are 'locked' in TRS2006 which you cannot copy in the approved manner. There is a workaround copying the .ja files but it is not recommended by Auran. The majority of the locked content is the modula city route content. So, if you can live without that, it's not a problem.

Is that hard or time consuming to do?

Items can be opened for edit in '06 and then imported into Classics, that's about how hard it gets. Time is dependent on how much you transfer, we're talking minutes rather than hours though if all goes smoothly. The only tricky thing is that some of these assets will show errors, there are guides to help you fix these though on the rail-sim.co.uk website.

And does this include a subscription to that download centre where you add content to the game?

All previous versions have given the purchaser a free 'First Class Ticket' for unlimited downloads which lasts a few months. I don't see this one will be any different.

Mike.

Thanks for the help, i might concider getting this. Ive never liked the visual clutter of trainz though. All those green points and the drivers on screen etc. Ive never really got into it, but now could be the time

[harcourtstation]

BTW, (if anyone else wants to know), you can remove those green arrows on the points by turning off the on screen help option, it's always been like that in Trainz, you can do the same with the drivers' display aswell using the F functions.

[andrewscott]

cheers

[Mike10]

The site was updated again this morning with some details of more rolling stock.

Mike.